A new general manager and a recent amalgamation were among the highlights of a change-filled year for Battlefords and District Co-operative Ltd. in 2013.
Co-op members packed the cafeteria at Territorial Place Mall to hear the numbers from the annual report for 2013.
Officials said the meeting produced the largest turnout they had ever seen - due at least in part to the addition of many new members from Radisson Co-op, whose amalgamation into the Battlefords and District Co-op was completed in December.
Board president Randy Graham reported another record year with $81.2 million in sales, up by $4.3 million over the previous year.
The allocation announced at the meeting was three per cent on agro purchases, seven per cent on fuels/propane/lube, 2.95 per cent on Marketplace purchases, and one per cent on home center purchases. The total allocations comes to $2.8 million.
One of the more notable changes during the previous year was the arrival of a new general manager Mike Nord, who took over duties from Pat Smith eight months ago.
Nord's first report as general manager highlighted some of the opportunities seen by the Co-op. In addition to the amalgamation with Radisson Co-op, Nord noted the acquisition of a Viterra Ag site in November.
"Both those things added a couple of things for us," Nord said in speaking to reporters. "It added products we didn't have in fertilizer and bulk seed, it added locations, it's expanded our trading area, but the most important thing is it really did give us some quality employees that are really going to help the Co-op continue to grow."
Nord also highlighted an investment of $7 million into the area. Noticeable to local residents is progress towards completing a new convenience store/gas bar and carwash near Walmart.
Nord also notes a new card lock is set to open in Glaslyn, and there will be upgrades later this summer to the food store in Territorial Place Mall. Also, a major upgrade is to go ahead on the Home Centre, which has been in the works for a few years.
The long-awaited expansion into the Town of Battleford is anticipated for later this year with construction of a new convenience store/gas bar/car wash at that location.
Nord told reporters he expects the expansion will mean a continued growth trend in sales "for a long time."
"It's a good time to be a Co-op, that's for sure," said Nord.
There were five candidates in the election for three available director positions. Results saw board president Graham returned to the board, with incumbent Rob Squair and Bryan Clair filling the other two positions.
Clair had previously served on the Radisson Co-op board as its president, and told reporters the amalgamation has worked out so far.
"It's gone over well. There was a little bit of uncertainty at the start, thinking they might just get swallowed up by a big Co-op. But everybody's happy. Everything's going well and there's more services available for our members in Radisson all being part of Battleford(s). People are happy."
